Chapter 36: Does It Matter Who Is Used

Originally, Li Shuangmu thought Chu Luoxi’s attitude was not quite proper, and his impression of her dropped a notch; but now, his feelings toward her rose even higher than before.

She could read through the script at such speed and understand it so deeply?

Even if the drama was nothing more than an idol show without much depth, to analyze the characters so thoroughly after just a single read-through?

Adjusting his mindset, Li Shuangmu realized another facet of Chu Luoxi’s strength and couldn’t help but feel more anticipation. He hadn’t encountered many actors like her, but her future was certainly limitless, for her foundation was unusually solid.

For an actor, the most important thing is to grasp a character’s personality. If you only see the surface, your performance will always have form but lack spirit. Yet how could a classic role ever lack soul?

Seeing that he was impressed, and the bad impression had been dispelled, Chu Luoxi finally hinted at her own thoughts: “Actually, everything else is fine, but I’ve never been interested in youth idol dramas, so Director Li, I have to apologize to you.”

She rarely watched idol dramas, and this was not only a youth idol drama but also set in a school. Although it had become wildly popular in her previous life, she simply wasn’t interested. She wouldn’t abandon her principles just for fame and gain.

She had betrayed her heart too many times in her past life; now, what she pursued was no longer fame or status.

From the moment Chu Luoxi began her analysis, Li Shuangmu had a hunch she would refuse. Yet when he heard her refusal stated so frankly, he was still surprised.

When they filmed together, he sensed that Chu Luoxi was nothing like a typical newcomer. Now, with the opportunity right in front of her, she could calmly and confidently decline—it was something no ordinary aspiring actor could achieve.

Interesting, very interesting. Li Shuangmu raised his eyebrows, the smile at the corners of his eyes spreading, and reached out to brush the gray hairs among his locks. “Your only reason for refusing is just because you don’t like it?”

Well, that’s a strong stance, but it was the first time someone had laid it out so frankly. Was she really not afraid of offending people?

“Enjoyment allows for a better interpretation of a role. Only when you like it can you truly invest your heart. I believe your drama could be even better,” Chu Luoxi replied calmly, implying that he should find someone who truly wants the role—it would be much better that way.

Though, by professional standards, if she accepted she would give it her all, and perhaps someone interested wouldn’t necessarily act better than she would. Still, she didn’t want to compromise herself.

“Heh, you have even more faith in this drama than I do,” Li Shuangmu laughed. “Most importantly, since you think so highly of it, you’re still willing to refuse? Tsk tsk, I really must be getting old—I can’t quite understand young people nowadays...”

“Hehe, you’re joking, Director Li. I always thought you preferred period dramas, but I didn’t expect you to have such expertise in modern ones too,” Chu Luoxi subtly asked, feeling curious for some time.

Given Li Shuangmu’s character, even if he shot modern dramas, he wouldn’t typically choose the youth idol genre—so why this time?

Understanding her implication, Li Shuangmu squinted slightly. “Actually, the male lead for this drama is already set. The script was written by a good friend of mine, and I have a close buddy who’s an agent. He recently signed a promising newcomer and wanted to shoot this kind of drama. Idol dramas require minimal investment and still have a decent market, so that’s why we decided to do this.”

Chu Luoxi was a bit taken aback. She hadn’t expected Li Shuangmu to be so candid, sharing all these behind-the-scenes details and revealing so much.

First, this “Crystal Romance” was created to promote that male lead; second, the drama’s investment was small, which was why they wanted newcomers; third, the focus seemed to be on the male lead, and selecting the female lead wasn’t as crucial.

Thinking of this, Chu Luoxi’s heart stirred. It seemed that the male lead in “Crystal Romance” was indeed quite handsome, and when the TV series aired, it captivated countless young girls—he became an overnight sensation.

Moreover, with Li Shuangmu at the helm and his casting decisions emphasizing the “idol” concept, it was a visually stunning production, creating a rare classic among mainland idol dramas and making the supporting actors famous as well.

Perhaps this was an opportunity. Chu Luoxi pondered silently for two minutes, took a sip of tea, and asked, “Director Li, do you plan to use all newcomers for this drama?”

“That’s the idea. You know, newcomers are cheap!” Li Shuangmu joked, half-serious.

“Pfft, then students must be even cheaper?” Chu Luoxi replied with a hint of meaning, already suspecting that Li Shuangmu’s sudden invitation for her to play the female lead was not entirely innocent.

“What, you don’t want the role but are thinking of recommending someone?” Li Shuangmu couldn’t help but laugh. Was there anything Chu Luoxi didn’t dare to do?

“Hehe!” Chu Luoxi let out a dry laugh. “Since you haven’t decided on the female lead, it wouldn’t hurt to consider my recommendations! They’re students—cheap, right?”

Using Li Shuangmu’s own words, Chu Luoxi spoke with perfect justification.

Indeed, she intended to introduce Zhu Xueshuang and Liu Yujia. Since it didn’t matter who played the female lead, her two roommates might not be worse than anyone else. She remembered that in her previous life, the cast had become famous overnight, but aside from the male lead, they disappeared as quickly as comets once the show’s popularity faded, and even their fans gradually forgot them.

Apparently, when she was loitering around the film city after graduation, those people had vanished entirely.

But if her two roommates could debut with this opportunity, they wouldn’t just be shooting stars across the sky—they just needed a final push.

Besides, the female lead in “Crystal” was typically gentle yet strong, a ladylike character with a touch of cute individuality; the second female lead was more straightforward, with a bit of masculine boldness—perfectly matching the real personalities of Zhu and Liu. They could perform the roles as themselves.

The more she thought about it, the more it seemed like a good idea. Chu Luoxi showed Li Shuangmu the photos of her two roommates stored on her phone, unsurprised when his eyes sparkled.

“Pfft, you really didn’t hold back—said you’d introduce someone, and brought out two,” Li Shuangmu’s director’s eye was sharp. He could tell a lot from just a photo. “They’re your classmates?”

“My roommates. Why not use them, right, Director Li?” Chu Luoxi felt her thick skin was well-trained. If he hadn’t implicitly accepted this possibility, she wouldn’t dare be so “bold.”

Sometimes, you need a thick skin—a bit of shamelessness to get ahead.

“Alright, I think they look good. Set up a time for them to audition!” Li Shuangmu responded readily, choosing to trust Chu Luoxi’s recommendation just as he once trusted Xiao Jingxuan’s judgment. It saved him the trouble of searching further, and at least Zhu and Liu’s appearance matched his vision for the script.